Portability key to success of oil in water analyser

Quantitech first launched the InfraCal 2, a portable oil in water analyser, in 2013 and the company's Dr Andrew Hobson says: "There has been a heavy demand for this instrument in the oil sector because of the new functionality that now comes as standard.

The InfraCal 2 can now be operated from an internal battery and also provides lower detection limits. However, the original InfraCal was not able to store multiple calibrations or to log readings, so the latest instrument can be more independent, making it better suited to remote operation. We are therefore hoping that it will also become popular in a wider range of other manufacturing and processing industries, including wastewater and fracking."

The original InfraCal is still available, but with a touch-screen display, the InfraCal 2 is easier to use and delivers superior performance for sub-ppm detection of oil in water.

Measurements can be undertaken very quickly, and with no moving parts and a rugged metal case, the InfraCal 2 has a very low maintenance requirement. "Over 3000 InfraCal instruments have been sold worldwide, so the technology is well-proven," says Dr Hobson. "However, the ability to produce accurate readings onsite offers a number of important benefits including faster results, lower costs per test and the avoidance of problems associated with preserving samples during transport. Costs are also lower in comparison with a laboratory FTIR Spectrometer, and because there are no sample transport costs."